Chaos erupted at an Elm Park school after two teenagers were stabbed and four officers were attacked in a party held at the school hall.
Police are continuing to investigate the matter which broke out during a private-hire event held at Elm Park Primary School in Calbourne Avenue on Saturday (March 22) at around 9pm.
We’ve compiled everything we know so far after many revelations since the attack.
What happened?
The attack took place during a private 16th birthday party at the school hall.
Two boys, 16 and 19, were stabbed and taken to hospital, with injuries thought not to be life-changing.
According to the school’s headteacher, no one was injured on the school premises itself.
The Metropolitan Police has said that knives left behind were retrieved in the area.
Officers heavily outnumbered
Superintendent Simon Hutchinson has shared in a letter addressed to residents that officers were outnumbered after arriving at the scene within four minutes of being called.
He said: “During the initial confrontation, four of my officers were injured and yet were still able to prevent this incident becoming significantly more serious.
“They showed tremendous bravery confronting this group despite the numbers and level of potential violence. I am proud of the courage that each of those officers showed.”
Who has been arrested?
Three teenagers - two girls aged 14 and 17 and a 16-year-old boy - were arrested at the scene on suspicion of assaulting emergency workers and taken to an east London police station before being bailed.
Two further arrests - boys aged 15 and 17 - were arrested in Hornchurch the following day on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon, and they have also been bailed pending further enquiries.
School scraps private-hire scheme
Victoria Morris, the headteacher of Elm Park Primary School, has said that it has allowed people to hire the school hall for years without any issue.
Even at the birthday party, Ms Morris claims that security was in place and all fire exits, which were used by the young people to come into and leave the building, were clear.
However after blood was spilled near the premises, the school will no longer let its property to the public.
“This was a private hire and the people involved were not known to us.”
She added: “We have successfully let our premises to the local community for years and have stringent protocols in place.
“We have written to local residents and parents to give them our assurances of this and we have also decided that the hall will no longer be let out for evening events.”
How to report information to police
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X, referencing 6940/22March.
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